Prevalence of amphetamine possession and/or use in the NSW Northern Rivers region

On 7 May 2019 The Sydney Morning Herald reported that:

Amphetamine possession in NSW has risen by 250 per cent over the past decade….

The alarming statistics, which also showed possession in some parts of the state had skyrocketed by up to 1000 per cent, were presented on Tuesday at the special commission of inquiry into the drug ice commissioned by Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

The following statistics indicate the prevelance of amphetamine use and possession in the NSW Northern Rivers region in 2020.

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR):

NSW RECORDED CRIME STATISTICS APRIL 2019-MARCH 2020

Tweed LGA:

Possession &/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population – 150.9

Byron Bay LGA:

Possession &/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population – 147.5

Clarence Valley LGA:

Possession &/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population – 135.

Lismore City LGA:

Possession &/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population – 120.9

Richmond Valley LGA:

Possession &/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population – 111.1

Ballina LGA:

Possession &/o use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population – 79.6

Kyogle LGA:

Possession &/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population – 45.1

The two year trend and annual percentage change for all seven Northern Rivers local government areas appears to be stable.

By way of general comparison, Coffs Harbour LGA on the mid-North Coast had a possession &/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population of 177.7, Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA a rate of 132.3, Newcastle LGA 127.4, Sydney LGA 363.8 (up 25.4% on two year trend & annual percentage change) and New South Wales 103.1 (up 12.8% on two year trend & annual percentage change). 

After the COVID-19 global pandenic was declared on 11 March 2020 the six week period after social distancing was imposed (15 March – 26 April, 2020) saw overall drug possession fall by 4% in New South Wales.

Note:

Rate per 100,000 head of population does not necessarily represent a high number of incidents. For example, in 2019 the Clarence Valley possession &/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population was 147.2 based on a total of 76 recorded incidents.